Vanitha’s entry into films, was as a school-girl in director Dorai’s ‘Paadai Maarinaal’. Thereafter she did many memorable roles in about 120 films in Tamil. She played the main role in her debut Malayalam movie, ‘Chandrabimbam,’ and became a familiar face among Malayalis with her roles in ‘Eenadu’, ‘Kaikeyi’, and ‘Enickum Oru Divasum’. Vanitha Krishnachandran took a sabbatical from movies after her marriage to actor and singer Krishnachandran, with whom she had starred in ‘Vanithapolice’, ‘Belt Mathai’ and ‘Deeparadhana’.

Her comeback has gifted her roles that tap her talent; something that was not very conspicuous in her earlier innings. In 2001, Vanitha acted as Mata Amrithanandamayi and Kaali, in a tele-film. In Tamil, she was called upon to do a negative role on mini-screen, in K. Balachander’s ‘Kaalmulaitha Aasai’. She continued to be ‘Kaanaa Kandein’, ‘Kalaapa Kaadal’ and ‘Paarijatam’.